In a press conference Tuesday morning, F15 Rally organizers United for Peace and Justice (UPFJ) charged the NYC Police Dept. with misconduct and with breaking at least two provisions of their agreement to provide rally space to UFPJ.

(Compiled from the open newswire) The NYPD, UFPJ said, were "to provide access to First Avenue as far north as necessary to accomodate protesters, and to keep side streets open between First, Second and Third Avenues so that protesters could easily get access to the rally site. Instead, police sealed off all side streets starting that morning and closed the northern end of First Avenue...

"Some arrestees were held in buses and some kept chained up outside police precincts for at least an hour and a half without gloves or other protection against the bitter cold... Lawyers were not allowed access to their clients for up to 12 hours, during which police interrogated arrestees" and asked them about their political affiliations. Other highlights

UPFJ also showed video taken by media activists of police violence against protesters, and is calling for the resignation of Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. Meanwhile, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is requesting that observations and/or first-hand complaints about any such police behavior be sent to nyclu215@aol.com.Read more from the open wire: What about the horses?